Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/109

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UXDER THE CONFEDERACY


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and was afterwards transferred to South Carolina ; he rovered Hardee's retreat from Charleston, and harassed Sherman's troops. After the war, he engaged in the insurance business in \\'ashington City.

Rodes, Robert Emmett, born in Lynch- burg, Virginia, Alarch 29, 1829, son of David Rodes, deputy clerk of Albemarle county, and Martha, his wife, daughter of Joel Yancey, of Bedford. He graduated from the Mrginia Alilitary Institute, 1848, and from that time until the breaking out of the war he was a professor there. He was captain of the Mobile cadets, 1861 ; made colonel of Fifth Alabama Infantry, and led the advance at the first Bull Run; promoted to brigadier-general and com- manded a brigade at Williamsburg, Vir- ginia, May 5, 1862. At Seven Pines he was severely wounded, but refused to relinquish his command until the firing had ceased He rendered exceptionally brilliant service at Gaines' Mills, leading the final advance; and at Chancellorsville, where he demol- ished Hooker's left, for which he was pro- moted on the field to major-general. At Gettysburg he displayed great courage, and lost nearly one-half his division. He also rendered etticient service m the Wilder- ness and in Early's march on Washington. At Winchester, he scattered the enemy, but fell while leading the attack, and died on the field, September 19, 1864.

Rosser, Thomas Lafayette, born in Camp- bell county, Virginia, October 15, 1836; son of John and Martha Melvina (Johnson) Rosser; grandson of Thomas and Nancy (Twedy) Rosser and of Jonathan and Ma- halah (Hargrave) Johnson, and a descend- ant from John Rosser, a Huguenot, and on


the Johnson side from English, Danish and Scandinavian ancestors. In 1849 he re- moved with his parents to Texas and en- tered the United States Military Academy in 1856. He was to graduate in 1861, but the entire class was ordered intp tlje army on the attack on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, before being graduated, and Rosser resigned to join the Confederate army. He was commissioned first lieutenant of artil- lery, was in the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, and was promoted captain in the Washington Artillery of New Orleans. He fought in the Peninsular campaign ; was wounded at Mechanicsville, Virginia, June 26, 1862, and was promoted lieutenant-colo- nel. He was promoted to colonel and given command of the Fifth Virginia Cavalry of Fitzhugh Lee's brigade under J. E. B. Stuart. During Gen. T. J. Jackson's man- oeuvres on Pope's left, Col. Rosser pro- tected one flank ; was engaged at the second Bull Run, and at South Mountain, where he was sent by Gen. Stuart to seize Fox's Gap on Braddock road, and after the death of Gen. Garland, he assumed command of the brigade of infantry. He was engaged in the operations around Fredericksburg and Charlottesville; fought at Gettysburg, and on October 15, 1863, was promoted briga- dier-general and given command of the Sec- ond Brigade in Wade Hampton's division. He was engaged in the cavalry operations in the Wilderness and around Richmond, fighting desperately at Trevillian Station, where he was badly wounded in the leg. He was promoted major-general, September 12, 1864; joined Gen. Early in the Shenan- doah Valley on October 5, and took com- mand of Fitzhugh Lee's division, that officer having been incapacitated from wounds re-